


Jury of Your Peers

by westwingfanfictioncentral_archivist



Category: The West Wing
Genre: Alternate Universe, Original Character - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2000-09-03
Updated: 2000-09-03
Packaged: 2019-05-15 15:04:02
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 14
Words: 12,725
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14792759
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/westwingfanfictioncentral_archivist/pseuds/westwingfanfictioncentral_archivist
Summary: When Eric Knox goes to trial, there's a whole lot shaking going on.





	1. Jury of Your Peers

**Author's Note:**

> A copy of this work was once archived at National Library, a part of the [ West Wing Fanfiction Central](https://fanlore.org/wiki/West_Wing_Fanfiction_Central), a West Wing fanfiction archive. More information about the Open Doors approved archive move can be found in the [announcement post](http://archiveofourown.org/admin_posts/8325).

RATING: PG  
DISCLAIMER: I don't own the West Wing or any related characters, etc. I own  
Rade Bartlet but that's about it...  
NOTES: Thanks to AJ for giving me ideas; thanks to JR for PESTERING  
ME!!!!!!!! hehehe. Here we go again folks. I know you're hanging on the KD  
saga, but I'm polishing that one, so here's what you get in the meantime. :)  
Patience is a virtue.  
SUMMARY: When Eric Knox goes to trial, there's a whole lot shaking going on.

"Granddad, what do you say? Does this look okay?" Rade asked as she  
stepped out into view. Jed looked at her and gazed over her frighteningly  
trim figure as she showed off her latest outfit. She had on her khakis, as  
usual, a black t-shirt that was frighteningly form-fitting and a dark forest  
green linen overshirt stretched over her arms and flowed over her body to  
hide her figure from the world. Jed still thought the outfit was too  
revealing, but then he realized that he was just reacting the way a  
protective grandfather should.  
"Looks great." He said with a grin. "Now, come on. We're gonna be late  
and you know they'll all blame me and not you." He teased. Rade grinned and  
nodded, slipping her sandals on and following him.  
"But I like it when they blame you. It's more fun that way." She said as  
she followed him into the hall. Jed laughed and pulled Rade close against him  
as they walked down the hall. It had been two weeks since she and her family  
had started staying at the White House, and things were starting to go at a  
leisurely pace. Jed knew it couldn't last forever, there were things that had  
to be done, but he could at least hold on to the moments for as long as they  
lasted.  
"Yeah, but you see, you don't have to deal with your grandmother the way  
I do." He retorted. Rade made a funny face.  
"Spare me the details. Please." She added forcefully. Jed laughed.  
"Without those details--" He started.  
"I know, I know. I wouldn't exist. That doesn't mean I want to hear about  
them." She interrupted playfully.  
"Okay, now, when we go in there, what are you going to say?" He asked.  
"It's all grandpa's fault." Rade said happily. Jed scowled playfully.  
"Noooo." He started.  
"I know, I know. Don't worry, granddad. I got your story down. Which one  
are we going for again? Excuse #2 or excuse #5?" She asked.  
"Better go with 4." He muttered. She frowned.  
"You ran your bike into a tree?" She asked.  
"Hey, that's not 4." He snapped. She giggled and ran away from him down  
the hall. Jed laughed and hurried after her. It felt good to see her laugh  
again. The scar on her wrist was often hidden by the overflowing overshirts,  
and there was a small scar by her eye where the gash was still healing, but  
the scars inside were healing much faster, he thought. Hopefully they'd go  
away soon enough.

"There she is! Where have you been? Did your granddad keep you again?"  
Abbey exclaimed as Rade burst into the room with a grin on her face. Rade  
smiled and shook her head as Jed walked into the room.  
"Nah, I was getting changed and then some stupid senator called to whine  
about trees." She replied evenly. Jed smiled. That a girl.  
"That sounds like number... four, right?" Abbey asked. Rade grinned  
and looked at her grandfather, who's smile had faded. "Nice try, honey."  
Abbey added to her husband. "Come on, let's go. Your mom's waiting."  
"Um, Mr. President?" Charlie Young's voice exclaimed through the door.  
Jed turned and looked at the young man as he leaned his head in.  
"What is it, Charlie?" He asked.  
"Sir, can I talk to you out here?" Charlie asked nervously. Jed paused  
and then nodded to his wife and granddaughter.  
"I'll be right there, you two." He assured them and then stepped back  
into the hallway with Charlie. "What is it, Charlie?" Jed asked softly.  
"Sir, there's a man waiting down in the front lobby. He says he's here to  
serve Rade and Liz with supoenas." Charlie said softly. "They're from the  
District Attornery in Virginia who's trying Eric Knox."  
"You mean..." Jed started.  
"Sir, they're requiring Rade and her mother come and testify." Charlie  
said uncertainly.

TBC... .

~D.C.  
Batman

  

  


	2. Jury of Your Peers 2

RATING: PG  
DISCLAIMER: Please see part 1  
NOTES: Please see part 1  
SUMMARY: Whole lot of shaking going on

"Jed, what happened?" Abbey asked as the President re-entered the room.  
Rade had already headed outside for the limo that was going to take them to a  
secure campus where Rade and Jed would be sharing the spotlight for another  
Q&A session not unlike many of the others Jed Bartlet had done, including one  
at the Newsuem in Arlington, VA which ended in gunfire more than a year ago.  
"There's a man at the front desk waiting to serve Liz and Rade with  
supoenas requiring them to come and testify at Eric's trial." Jed said  
softly. Abbey sighed, realizing the source for the stress in her husband's  
face had originated. "Charlie says that they have to sign for the supoenas  
themselves."  
"They can't require Rade to do it. She's under 18." Abbey whispered. Jed  
shrugged and shook his head.  
"I don't know. I had Charlie call the white house counsel office and  
check into it. In the meantime, we have to tell them. We have to tell Rade."  
He murmured. Abbey shook her head.  
"No, we don't. Not yet. Jed, she's so happy right now. Let it wait until  
we get back." She pleaded. Jed nodded and then beckoned to Charlie. Jed  
whispered his orders and Charlie nodded before moving away to follow them.  
Jed looked back at his wife and sighed.  
"We knew this wasn't over, Abbey. We knew this was going to happen. It  
almost happened sooner, but the technicalities got in the way and the press  
complicated things." He murmured.  
"I know, Jed, but we're gonna let it be for now." She repled softly.  
"Come on. Let's get in the limo with Rade and the others." Jed nodded and  
followed slowly, trying to remember to put on a happy face so that Rade  
wouldn't be able to see that anything had gone wrong. As he got into the  
limo, he heard Annie and Rade talking with his daughter.  
"Mom, I was wondering. School starts again really soon and I was  
wondering what's going to happen? I mean, are we going back to Virginia or  
are we going to stay here? Do I still have to go to school?" Annie asked  
innocently. Rade looked nervously at the members of her family and waited for  
a response.When there wasn't one, she sighed.  
"I'm never going back to Virginia." She said softly. Jed and Abbey  
exchanged glances and then looked at their daughter. Liz sighed and rested a  
tentative hand on Rade's shoulder.  
"No one will make you go back." She promised. "We'll just have to find a  
place to start here. Or maybe we'll go back to New Hampshire where I grew  
up." She said with a weak smile. Rade smiled back and then looked at Annie.  
"Is that okay with you, Annie? We need your opinion on this stuff too."  
She said quietly. Truth be told, no matter what Annie wanted, she wasn't  
going back, but she wouldn't stop Annie from going.  
"Will I get my stuff from home?" Annie asked nervously.  
"Of course. Whatever hasn't been shipped up here will be soon enough."  
Rade promised. Annie smiled.  
"Then sure. Can we stay with you, granddad??" Annie asked hopefully.  
"For the time being." Jed promised. "Until you guys get sick of us." He  
added with a weak smile. Rade looked at him and frowned. He tried to smile at  
her but he knew that she'd seen the look in his eyes. For the rest of the  
trip, she watched him intensely, and he found it a little uncomfortable under  
her gaze. Finally when the car came to a stop, everyone got out and Jed felt  
Rade on his arm.  
"What's up?" Rade asked softly, looking ahead as they walked down an  
aisle that was surrounded on either side by the press and dozens of kids. Jed  
smiled and waved to the people.  
"What do you mean?" He asked softly as they entered the building. Rade  
looked at him as they were led to a room to get ready for the event.  
"What did Charlie say? What's going on?" She asked again.  
"I'll tell you later. I want you to concentrate on this now."  
"Why, for your polling numbers? I want to know what he said."  
"Rade, trust me. I will tell you right after this is over. It's not about  
the polling numbers. It's about you and your sister, okay?"  
"It's about my father, isn't it?" Rade asked, not giving up. Jed sighed.  
"I don't want you going out on that stage upset." He insisted.  
"Too late." Rade snapped.  
"Yes, it's about your father, and I will tell you as soon as we get off  
stage, okay? I promise." He assured her. "But I need you to concentrate on  
this now, and all these people that are here to see you and me. I don't want  
you to be upset at all, but I know you're going to be, so I'm trying to make  
sure you don't go out there and snap at the people asking you questions.  
Okay? I will tell you as soon as this is over." He finished with a promise.  
"Fine. Okay." Rade said softly, nodding slowly. "I'm sorry."  
"It's okay." He said and hugged her tightly. "Let's go wow those college  
kids with your wit, okay?"  
"Does that mean you're encouraging me?" Rade asked with a mischievous  
grin. Jed groaned.  
"No, it does not!" He said as she snickered and ran off towards the  
doors. Jed chuckled and followed her out into the wings where they waited.  
Then their names were called and they both walked out on to the stage with  
applause waiting for them.

"You're incorrigible." Jed exclaimed with a laugh as they trotted off the  
stage two and a half hours later. Rade smiled sweetly and shrugged.  
"It runs in the family." She cooed before heading for the door where  
their family was more than likely waiting for them. She opened the door and  
stopped short as she found a tall man with gray hair and a tan trenchcoat  
around his body waiting for them. Jed raised an eyebrow.  
"Who are you?" She demanded.  
"I'm Ralph Martin. Are you Mary Knox?" He asked seriously. Jed realized  
who the man was and wondered what the hell had happened to security.  
"No, I'm Rade Bartlet." Rade retorted sharply. "What do you want?"  
"Miss Knox," The man said in a steel tone as he reached into his pocket  
and withdrew a slip of paper. He handed to her. "You've been served."

TBC... .

~D.C.  
Batman

  


	3. Jury of Your Peers 3

RATING: PG  
DISCLAIMER: Please see part 1  
NOTES: Please see part 1  
SUMMARY: Whole lot of shaking going on

The car ride home was a quiet one. Rade stared out the window silently as  
her family glanced at each other uncertainly. Liz had taken the supoena and  
immediately run to Rade who had signed for the supoena and then given the  
process server something remember with a knee to his groin and a nearby book  
to his forehead. Jed managed to calm her down and get her to her grandmother  
before going back and apologizing to the server who had an ice pack to his  
head.  
Finally, around twenty minutes later, they were on their way back to the  
White House. Annie was sleeping against her mother, completely unaware of the  
actions her sister had taken. In fact she was completely unaware of the  
supoenas and the situation with her father. Liz just stroked her younger  
daughter's hair and looked at her father. Jed looked at her, then his wife  
and then finally his granddaughter. Rade was staring out the window, the slip  
of paper sitting on the black leather seat next to her, not being touched by  
anyone.  
The limo pulled in next to the White house and slowly everyone move to  
get out. Except Rade. Jed nodded to his family before climbing into the limo  
and facing his granddaughter.  
"We're here." He said softly.  
"I noticed." She retorted somberly.  
"Normally when a car arrives, that's your cue to get out of it." Jed  
tried to be playful. Rade didn't respond. He sighed. "You knew it was going  
to happen, Rade. You're smart that way."  
"I'm smart in a lot of ways, granddad, but I'm still not going." She  
whispered. "I'm never going back to Virginia, and I am *never* looking at  
that miserable excuse for a father again."  
"You have to." Jed said softly. "That's the thing about supoenas, you  
can't refuse them. They're legally binding."  
"I know!" Rade interrupted harshly and looked at him with tear-filled  
eyes. "But I don't care! I'm not going!" She snapped before bursting out of  
the limo and running for the lawn. Jed got out to see the secret service  
struggling to keep up with her as she ran for some sort of escape from the  
world that just wouldn't leave her alone. Jed sighed and looked at the  
entrance to the building where he saw his wife and daughter watching him  
mournfully. He moved up the stairs and took his wife in his arms. He didn't  
know what to do.  
"She says she's not going." He said softly.  
"She's not." Liz exclaimed. Her parents looked at her. "She's not going  
to go through that. I won't let it happen." She said softly before moving  
into the building. Jed sighed.  
"Neither of them are thinking straight." He murmured. Abbey looked at him.  
"Would you?" She dared before following her daughter into the building.  
Jed paused and looked around. He glanced at his secret service agent and  
smiled weakly.  
"And what have *you* got to say about it all?" He asked playfully.  
"I'm sure I have no idea what you're talking about, sir." The man replied.  
"Right." Jed muttered before going inside.

"Leo, all I'm saying is that we could try a little harder." Toby  
protested.  
"Toby." Leo started.  
"What?" Toby paused.  
"Shut up." Leo ordered.  
"No."  
"I'm going back to my office."  
"Fine, but this isn't over."  
"It never is. Unfortunately." Leo muttered as he walked to his office.  
"Margaret, is the President back yet?"  
"Yes, he is." Jed answered as he walked up behind his best friend.  
"What he said." Margaret added.  
"Mr. President, we need to go over the Economics pact." Leo started but  
then he saw the look in his friend's eyes. "Sir, what happened?"  
"Rade and Liz were served with supoenas to testify at Eric Knox's trial  
in Virginia." Jed said softly as they entered the Oval office. Leo shut the  
door with a heavy heart.  
"Uh oh." He muttered.  
"After signing for the paper, Rade practically beat up the process server  
and then didn't say a word for nearly forty minutes. Then she insisted to me  
that she would not be going to the trial and ran out of the car." Jed  
recapped softly.  
"She has to go." Leo said softly.  
"I know." Jed muttered.  
"Sir?" Charlie Young exclaimed as he leaned into the room. He really  
didn't like the day so far. He kept having to deliver bad news to the leader  
of the free world and sooner or later, Jed Bartlet was going to explode.  
"What now, Charlie?" Jed called.  
"Sir, the secret service wanted me to inform you that Rade has left White  
House grounds." Charlie exclaimed as he stood in the doorway.

TBC... .

~D.C.  
Batman

  


	4. Jury of Your Peers 4

RATING: PG  
DISCLAIMER: Please see part 1  
NOTES: Please see part 1  
SUMMARY: Whole lot of shaking going on

"What? Where did she go?" Jed snapped.  
"She requested they didn't say, sir." Charlie said with a wince.  
"Well, they damn well better bring her back!" Jed snapped.  
"Mr. President." Leo interrupted in a calm voice. Jed sighed.  
"I'm sorry, Charlie."  
"It's okay, sir. I'll keep you updated as best I can."  
"Thank you, Charlie." Jed said softly as the assistant bowed out of the  
room. Jed looked at Leo. "The trial is in three days in Virginia. I don't  
know what I'm going to do." He admitted softly.  
"She's going to come back, Jed, and we're going to take her to Virginia.  
I'll go and I'll bet Toby will sign up-" Leo started.  
"You're gonna be needed here because I'm going." Jed interrupted.  
"You can't just pick up and go, Mr. President." Leo said softly but  
sternly.  
"I can and I will. I'm going, Leo. Deal with it." Jed said sharply. Leo  
paused and then nodded.  
"Yes, sir. I'll arrange it." He said softly.  
"Thank you, Leo." Jed whispered.  
"It's my job. I serve at the pleasure of the President." Leo replied with  
a very weak smile before turning and going into his own office.

"Sam?" Toby interrupted the young man's ramble.  
"Yeah, Toby?" Sam asked.  
"I'm going home now." He said softly. "You know what that means?"  
"What?" Sam asked in curiosity.  
"SHUT UP!" Toby snapped as he slammed his door shut and stormed for the  
hallway, his coat and briefcase in hand. Sam stared at the slammed door for a  
few minutes and then looked at the people who were staring at him.  
"He's had a bad day." He said meekly. They nodded slowly and returned to  
their work. Sam sighed and went into his office. Toby moved quickly down the  
hall muttering about 'those idiots' and how he was going to have a heart  
attack before he was 45. He moved into the parking garage and drove home,  
still muttering about the insanities of the office. He moved quickly,  
entering the hallway leading to his condo and stopped as he saw the figures  
standing by his door. He moved forward and looked down at the teenager who  
was sitting against his door with tear-stained cheeks.  
"Hi Toby." Rade whispered.

TBC... .

~D.C.  
Batman


	5. Jury of Your Peers 5

RATING: PG  
DISCLAIMER: Please see part 1  
NOTES: Please see part 1  
SUMMARY: Whole lot of shaking going on

Toby glanced uncertainly at the secret service who was standing at his  
front door before closing it. Rade absentmindedly moved through the front  
room and collapsed in the living room. He dropped his briefcase by the door  
and hung up his coat before following.  
"You want something to drink?" He asked softly as he ruffled her hair  
gently. She smiled at him and nodded. "Okay. OJ okay?"  
"No way. OJ'll kill ya." She said playfully.  
"Oh, haha." He retorted with a smirk before moving for the kitchen. He  
got a couple glasses out and filled them with orange juice. He added soda  
water which he knew she liked and brought the glasses out. She was leaning  
into the couch, her knees brought up to her face and her arms wrapped around  
as she stared blankly at the coffee table. He put the glasses on the table  
and then sat next to her. Without a word, he pulled her against him and  
kissed her head. "Tell me what happened." He said softly.  
"Some guy gave me papers that say I have to go back to Virginia and  
testify against my father." She said softly. There was a pause. "I beat him  
up." She added. Toby raised an eyebrow.  
"Your father?"  
"The server."  
"Oy vey."  
"Sorry. Might be a problem tomorrow."  
"Might." Toby grumbled.  
"Sorry." Rade said softly. Toby sighed and hugged her close.  
"It's okay. It's better than a President crashing into a tree."  
"Or a secret plan to fight inflation?"  
"Exactly." Toby agreed. There was another silence.  
"I'm not going, Toby." Rade whispered.  
"You have to, Rade." Toby said softly.  
"I won't. I can't be in the same room as him. I can't do it." She  
whispered. Toby sighed and leaned forward to pick up a glass. He handed it to  
her and stroked her hair gently as she took a sip.  
"Don't you want to see him pay for what he did to you? The guy deserves  
to be locked away so he can't hurt anyone else and you're the one who can do  
that." He said softly.  
"Toby, I spent a long time wondering why my father was always so harsh  
with me and why he loved Annie so much." Rade said softly. "And it occured to  
me that my parents have been married a long time, but I was conceived before  
they were married. The nine months subtraction and all figures as such.." She  
said softly. Toby listened carefully.  
"What are you saying?" He asked softly as he took a sip from his own  
glass.  
"I don't think Eric Knox is my real father." Rade said softly. "And I  
think he knows it. And my mother too."

"Jed?" Abbey said softly. "Have they heard from her yet?"  
"No, but I think there's a pretty safe bet where she went." Jed murmured  
as he closed the door of their bedroom. "She goes where she feels safe and we  
both know where that seems to be."  
"Toby's?" Abbey asked.  
"I still want to know why." Jed admitted. "Something doesn't feel right  
about their relationship." He muttered.  
"Jed, don't tell me you're thinking that Toby would do such--" Abbey  
started, aghast.  
"No, no, no, no, of course not." Jed interrupted. "No, I don't think Toby  
would even think of doing that. I just don't understand how she could get so  
close to him so fast and yet she has trouble opening up to you or me."  
"It's easier with someone you don't know as well. She and Toby have a lot  
in common, the same sense of wit and knowledge." Abbey murmured  
absentmindedly as she sat on the edge of the bed. Jed sat next to her and  
nodded.  
"Still, I wish she didn't make such a habit of running away all the  
time." He murmured. "I like it better when she's here, safe and sound."  
"I think she feels safer when she's not here, Jed." Abbey said softly. He  
nodded again and looked at her with a smile.  
"How'd you get to be so wise?" He asked her playfully.  
"Certainly didn't rub off of you." She teased.  
"Hey, be nice." He whined. She laughed and kissed him gently.  
"Never." She cooed.

TBC... .

~D.C.  
Batman

  


	6. Jury of Your Peers 6

RATING: PG  
DISCLAIMER: Please see part 1  
NOTES: Please see part 1  
SUMMARY: Whole lot of shaking going on

"You don't think he's your real father?" Toby repeated. Rade shrugged.  
"No, I don't, and I think he resents the fact that I represent a mistake  
my mother made a long time ago." She murmured. "And it explains so much,  
Toby."  
"If you really think that's the truth, you should ask your mother." He  
said softly.  
"I don't want to." She admitted. "And I don't want to go to Virginia. You  
guys promised me that I'd never have to go back there."  
"We meant you'd never have to go home. We didn't mean you never had to  
back to that state." Toby clarified.  
"They can't make me testify. I'll run away. I'll get on my bike and head  
for Canada like I planned to in the first place." Rade started but Toby shook  
his head and quieted her.  
"You can do this, Rade. Not only that, but I'll go with you, okay? You  
can do this and then you never have to deal with him again." He whispered.  
"But just do this, just put this guy away behind bars where he belongs. Put  
him away, Rade. And then you can come right back here and we'll watch a  
Snot-Nosed Airhead concert together or whoever it is that you listen to." He  
said with a smile. Rade laughed weakly and rested her head on his chest.  
"I don't know of any bands named Snot-Nosed Airheads." She told him. He  
laughed and nodded.  
"Really? I always enjoyed their music. You know it's the  
ddahhenhaha-nehdanehhdhann--" He started making horrible scratching sounds  
with his tongue to illustrate.  
"Okay, okay, okay. I get the idea!" Rade said laughing. "Besides, I don't  
listen to anything *that* bad." She cooed. He smiled and ruffled her hair  
again.  
"So do we have a deal?" He asked softly as he held out a hand. She paused  
and then shook it.  
"You're coming with me." She repeated as she held on to his hand. He  
nodded.  
"Absolutely. Wild horses couldn't drag me away." He said with a smile.  
She smiled back and nodded before finishing her drink.  
"Good." She said. "Speaking of which, you never let me take you horseback  
riding." She pointed out.  
"There's a reason behind that." Toby lamented.  
"You promised you'd go with me." She whined playfully.  
"Rade --" He started.  
"Don't go breaking promises, Toby." She said softly. "I understand if you  
really don't want to, but don't make promises you can't keep." She said  
softly as she looked at him.  
"I don't break promises. As soon as we get back from Virginia, we'll go  
horseback riding and you can watch me break my neck. I won't be any good to  
you anymore though." He warned her.  
"Oh, you won't break your neck. If you can survive my granddad, you can  
survive anything." She said happily.  
"Who said I can survive your granddad? I had hair when the campaign  
started." Toby muttered. Rade laughed.

Leo took a deep breath as he walked through the halls of the White House.  
He did this often, especially on the nights when he worked late and never  
even made it home in the first place. Those nights were becoming too common  
these days. He wanted them to stop coming. He climbed the stairs and looked  
around. He saw a door propped open with light spilling out into the hallway.  
He staggered in a mix of exhaustion and curiosity before finally moving over  
to the door and knocking lightly.  
"Liz?" He asked softly as he leaned in. Liz looked up from where she sat  
on the armchair. He could see she'd been crying.  
"Leo." She said softly. He smiled and moved in, closing the door behind  
him.  
"That's me." He said softly as he moved towards her. "You okay? You wanna  
talk about this? Jed told me what happened. Kid's got a hell of a right hook,  
I've heard." He tried to joke softly.  
"I wish this hadn't happened." Liz said softly. "This is all my fault. I  
should have left him so much sooner." She said. Leo shook his head and moved  
to kneel next to the chair.  
"This isn't your fault. We all knew that the supoena would come, even  
Rade." He said softly. Liz sighed and shook her head.  
"I should have left that first night. Leo, so much has happened in the  
last ten years. I never imagined that this was the way my life would go. I  
was Rade's age when she was born..." She started, tears coming down her  
face as she began to remember. Leo closed his eyes and then hugged her  
tightly.  
"That wasn't your fault." He whispered. "That wasn't your fault then and  
this isn't your fault now." He assured her. "You couldn't control what  
happened to you 16 years ago and you can't control what's happening now."  
"I can, Leo." Liz insisted suddenly. "I won't let them make her testify.  
She shouldn't have to. She's sixteen."  
"The law says --" Leo started.  
"I don't care about the law, Leo." Liz snapped. "He's spent her entire  
life making her miserable simply because of the fact that he knows she's not  
his." There was a silence in the room.  
"Liz, have you ever told Rade the truth? About her father?" Leo asked  
softly.  
"No, but I've had the feeling for a long time that she knows." Liz  
softly. "At least the truth about Eric. The rest... well, the rest she  
doesn't need to know." She said soflty as she looked at her hands. Leo  
hesitated.  
"One day she'll want to know who her father is."  
"Her father's a snot-nosed little rich kid who did what he 'had to' in  
order to get the best fraternity. He was an asshole and she doesn't need to  
know that." Liz retorted. "She doesn't need to know her father's a rapist,  
Leo."

TBC... .

~D.C.  
Batman

  


	7. Jury of Your Peers 7

RATING: PG  
DISCLAIMER: Please see part 1  
NOTES: Please see part 1  
SUMMARY: Whole lot of shaking going on

Any member of the White House staff can tell you, when the President  
decides on a whim to go on a four day trip to Virginia, things can get  
slightly hectic and tempers can get more than slightly hot. Add on top of  
that a potential press disaster with the commander-in-chief's son-in-law  
being prosecuted for assault, battery and domestic abuse and the fact that  
one of the First granddaughters has run away to sleep in the White House  
Communications Director's very comfortable couch, the workplace becomes less  
of a fast-paced office environment and more similar to that of a medieval  
torture chamber. One can hear the screams of agony for miles and only pray  
that they're not next.  
"Josh!" Sam called as he hurried down the hallway.  
"What, Sam?" Josh retorted frantically as he tried to scribble down a  
phone number from memory so that he could reschedule a briefing he had for  
the President. Sam burst into his office.  
"What am I going to do with the EPA?" He asked.  
"Tell them to go burn down some car factories." Josh retorted as he hung  
up the phone and headed for the door. "I hate it when the President does  
this. CJ!"  
"What, Josh?" CJ asked calmly as she flipped through the index cards  
Carol had prepared. Josh paused.  
"You look calm." He muttered.  
"I just stand up there and talk, Josh. I'm not going to let myself  
burnout. Not this week, nope. Someone around here has to keep their head."  
She muttered in response. "You, on the other hand, look like hell in a cheap,  
wrinkled suit." She added before moving towards the Press room.  
"Thanks so much for your support, CJ. You know what to say, right?" Josh  
called after her.  
"I was at the meeting, Josh. I'm not stupid!" CJ called back. Josh  
nodded.  
"Good." He murmured and then started moving again.  
"Josh." Sam called again.  
"You seen Toby yet today?" Josh asked.  
"He called in to say he's taking the morning off." Sam replied.  
"Could he have picked a worse time?" Josh snapped.  
"Don't kill the messenger. Besides, he's entertaining Rade. Word has it,  
she's pretty upset." Sam explained.  
"Well, so am I! Where's Toby when *I* need to be entertained?" Josh asked  
sharply. Sam frowned.  
"I think he's running for the hills, screaming." He said.  
"Sam, go away." Josh snapped.  
"I can't." Sam said.  
"Why not?"  
"Because I need you to tell me when you want to redo the thing with the  
guys." Sam said.  
"What thing? What guys? Look, whatever it is, set it for next Friday,  
okay?" Josh retorted as he moved into Leo's office. "Leo--" He started.  
"Josh. Stop." Leo said. Josh stopped.  
"Inhale." Leo ordered. Josh inhaled slowly.  
"Exhale." Leo ordered. Josh did so.  
"Repeat this process so you don't pass out." Leo ordered. "Now,  
everything's going to be okay. You don't have to get this worked up about the  
whole thing, okay? We've rearranged a lot and the President has promised to  
do some stuff in Virginia that will make up for the stuff we lost."  
"Leo--" Josh started.  
"Stop." Leo said. "Inhale. Exhale. Repeat. Leave me alone." He ordered  
and moved for the hallway. "I'm going to the residence to talk to the  
President. Try to stay alive while I'm gone." He added as he disappeared down  
the hallway into the crowd of moving people.  
"Easy for you to say!" Josh called and then looked at Sam. Sam looked  
back and then breathed deeply through his nose and let it out through his  
mouth and then smiled.  
"It really does feel good, Josh. Try it." He suggested.  
"I don't have time to try it." Josh retorted and moved back into the  
hallway. "DONNA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

"Mr. President?" Leo asked softly as he leaned into the presidential  
bedroom. Jed waved him in with a smirk as he tried to find the right zipper  
on his suitcase. Leo came inside and closed the door.  
"I still don't know why they have to overcomplicate these things. Why  
can't I just have a big bag with a piece of rope and I'll just throw  
everything in that, huh?" Jed asked as he finally managed to pry open the top  
half of the case. "I tell you, not all the results of the Industrial  
Revolution were blessings."  
"I don't think suitcases were part of the industrial revolution." Leo  
pointed out.  
"Good point." Jed said softly. "I kind of mix things up when I don't know  
what to do with myself. I'm so lost, Leo." He said with a long pained sigh.  
"You think you're lost? Go downstairs and watch Josh run around like a  
chicken with his head cut off." Leo muttered. Jed chuckled weakly.  
"Yeah, I bet he's mad at me right now."  
"Oh, he's over-worrying himself. It's not that bad."  
"Anyone heard from Rade yet?"  
"No, but Toby called. He said she's at his place and he's not coming in  
until about one. Apparently he said something about getting his neck broken."  
Leo said as he tried to recall.  
"Going to a chiropractor?" Jed asked.  
"I doubt it." Leo said with a chuckle.  
"This is going to happen, Leo, and then it's going to end." Jed said  
softly after a long silence between the two old friends. "Eric Knox is going  
to prison and then we're coming home." He said softly.  
"Sir, I talked to Liz last night and it occured to me that this has got  
to be taking quite a toll on her. I don't know if I made her feel any better,  
but I think you or your wife should try." Leo suggested. "This is reminding  
her somewhat of the stuff that happened with that Richards kid."  
"God, I haven't thought about him in years." Jed said with a cold stare  
to the ceiling. "That rotten little kid never even saw a courtroom, Leo,  
because his parents were rich and becaue I was a politician. Do you think Liz  
resents me for that?" He asked as he looked at his friend.  
"I don't know. I honestly don't. I think she blames herself more than  
anything." Leo said softly. "Just like Rade."  
"No." Jed said softly. "I won't let that happen. I won't let Liz be  
consumed by the past and I won't let Rade lose sight of the future. If  
anything, Leo, I'm going to be the father to Liz that I should have been and  
the grandfather that Rade needs. Hell, I'll be the father she needs if I have  
to."  
"If you ask me, she's already got a father figure in Toby." Leo pointed  
out. Jed chuckled and nodded. Just then a soft knock came at the door and  
Charlie Young leaned his head in.  
"What is it, Charlie?" Jed asked apprehensively.  
"Sir, Mr. Ziegler was in a horseback riding accident." Charlie announced  
solemnly.

TBC...

~D.C.  
Batman

  


	8. Jury of Your Peers 8

RATING: PG  
DISCLAIMER: Please see part 1  
NOTES: Please see part 1  
SUMMARY: Whole lot of shaking going on

Rade sat nervously in the waiting room and fidgeted with her hands. It  
was all her fault. She wanted to go riding and Toby, being the wonderful guy  
that he was, finally agreed. If she'd only been willing to go with him later  
like he'd said; if she'd let him get away without riding at all in the first  
place. She looked at the door and saw a doctor come through. She got to her  
feet hopefully as he moved over to her, smiling weakly.  
"Miss Bartlet?" He asked. She nodded uncertainly. "He's gonna be fine.  
The helmet protected his head so his only real injuries are a couple of  
cracked ribs he got when he landed on the ground so fast."  
"So he's gonna be okay? Is he awake yet? Can I see him?" She asked  
eagerly. The doctor nodded.  
"He hasn't woken up yet. His body is insisting that it get rest, but I'll  
take you to his room, yes." He said with a smile before leading the way. Ten  
minutes later, Rade sat in a chair next to a hospital bed with Toby Ziegler  
in it and she thought about how ironic it was that their positions be  
reversed so quickly. Was it really only two weeks ago that she was in a  
hospital bed with him by her side telling her that everything was going to be  
okay?  
"You know you can't break your promise." She said softly. "You're coming  
with me, and in order to do that you have to wake up and smile at me again.  
And then we're gonna go home and you'll sleep. I'm not going without you. You  
made me a deal and if you don't keep it, I won't either." She added.

"Liz?" Abbey Bartlet's soft voice called into the room. Liz emerged from  
the bathroom in her robe and her hair wrapped in a towel. Abbey smiled weakly  
and leaned against the door. "You want me to come back later?" She asked  
politely. Liz shook her head and moved to her dresser.  
"Nothing you haven't seen before." She said softly. "You're the one who's  
always reminding me that you used to wipe my butt when I was days old." She  
added playfully. Abbey smiled weakly and sat on the couch.  
"And you were the one who screamed at me when you were a teenager that I  
never gave you any privacy." She pointed out.  
"I do remember and you'd always reply 'nothing I haven't seen before, I  
used to wipe that bottom' as I remember." Liz replied.  
"Good point." Abbey admitted. She glanced back and found that her  
daughter had already gotten on a pair of pants and a shirt and was now  
proceeding to dry her hair feverishly with the towel.  
"Have they heard from Rade yet?" Liz asked as she moved to sit next to  
her mother. Abbey nodded.  
"She stayed at Toby's again. Apparently this morning they went horseback  
riding and he fell off the horse." She reported in amazement. Liz tried to  
contain her laughter.  
"Is he okay?" She asked weakly.  
"Yeah, just a couple of cracked ribs. He was knocked out but he'll wake  
up any minute now." Abbey replied.  
"That's good. I know Rade cares for him a great deal." Liz said softly.  
"Like you don't." Abbey teased. Liz looked at her mother in shock.  
"What are you saying?" She asked.  
"You like the way Toby and Rade interact. I see you watching him." Abbey  
explained. "You could do worse, Liz."  
"I have done worse, mom." Liz replied softly. Abbey bit her lip and then  
put an arm around her daughter's shoulder to bring her closer.  
"Do you want to talk about this?" She asked softly. Liz snuggled into her  
mother's side but didn't respond for a while. She didn't know what to say.  
She had so many thoughts and emotions running through her body with all this  
stuff. She could remember Jonathon Richards telling her that he had to do it.  
She could remember Eric holding her close and saying that everything would be  
okay, that he would protect her. She shuddered as she thought about how  
easily she trusted him. If only she hadn't, none of this would have happened.  
"She shouldn't have to do this. My testimony should be enough." Liz  
whispered softly. "She shouldn't ever have to look at him again."  
"Oh, sweetie." Abbey whispered and held her daughter tighter. "Rade needs  
to do this, not just because of her father but because it's a way of  
finalizing this whole situation. It's a closure sort of thing."  
"And me? I never got closure." Liz said almost coldly.  
"This could be your closure. Your way of saying goodbye to the past and  
embracing the future." Abbey replied softly.  
"You think I can?" Liz asked weakly. Abbey hugged her tighter, feeling  
like she was talking again to the sixteen-year-old that was so dearly  
traumatized so many years ago.  
"I know you can." She whispered.

TBC... .

~D.C.  
Batman

  


	9. Jury of Your Peers 9

RATING: PG  
DISCLAIMER: Please see part 1  
NOTES: Please see part 1  
SUMMARY: Whole lot of shaking going on

"Rade, you have to go." Toby said as he got his jacket on.  
"The doctor said you can't travel for a while, so that means you can't  
go, and if you're not going, I'm not going." Rade retorted.  
"Rade, I'll be with you in spirit." Toby tried.  
"Spirit isn't enough, Toby. We made a deal. I'm not mad at you because  
the circumstances have changed. You can't keep your end so I don't have to  
keep mine." Rade insisted.  
"Yes, you do. You signed for the supoena. You have to go, Rade. If you  
want, I will go with you." Toby said before groaning a little.  
"Nu uh. Doctor's orders. I'm not gonna have you endanger your health. I  
can't lose you, Toby." Rade said as she helped him get his jacket on. He  
watched her silently.  
"You won't lose me, Rade." He said softly. "I'm not going anywhere."  
"That's right. You're not." She replied. "Neither am I." He sighed and  
took her into a gentle hug.  
"You're going to be fine." He whispered. "No matter what." Rade buried  
her face into his chest and nodded slowly.

"I talked to Liz." Abbey exclaimed as she looked through the closet for  
another shirt to take. One could never be too prepared.  
"Damn it, I meant to." Jed muttered. "What did she say?"  
"A lot of things, Jed. I never imagined how this would come back to haunt  
her. I thought that seeing Rade everyday, having that reminder, she'd moved  
on from the pain. I don't think she has." Abbey said sadly as she walked back  
out into the bedroom and threw the shirt into the suitcase. Jed shook his  
head.  
"It's a horrible thing to move on from." He said softly. "I wish it had  
never happened. I wish I had been there to stop that damn little prick. I  
wish someone had been there to stop him."  
"But no one was." Abbey said sternly as she forced him to look her in the  
eye. "And we've all got to realize it. Rade exists because it happened, and  
we all love her. Something good came out of it, and we all have to realize  
that."  
"You're right. Rade's a good kid." He said softly.  
"Maybe you should tell her that when she comes back." Abbey pointed out  
as she zipped up the case.  
"She's never coming back here, damn it." He cursed.  
"Oh, of course she is. She's with Toby, so everything's fine." She  
retorted as she handed her suitcase to the secret service agent. "We'll go  
pick her up and she'll come. Liz packed a bag for her."  
"Of course. When she's with Toby, everything's okay." Jed muttered.  
"Oh, stop it." Abbey interrupted.  
"The man has two cracked ribs and still she'd prefer to be with him. What  
good can he do her with two cracked ribs?"  
"I cannot believe I'm hearing this. Grow up, Jed."  
"I'd rather not, but thanks for the offer." He retorted. Suddenly there  
was a knock at the door. "What??" He snapped.  
"Jed!" Abbey scolded. They looked at the door which flung open.  
"Let's go to Virginia." Rade said simply before turning away again and  
disappearing down the hall.

TBC...

~D.C.  
Batman

  


	10. Jury of Your Peers 10

RATING: PG  
DISCLAIMER: Please see part 1, "Mad Season" is property of Matchbox Twenty  
NOTES: Please see part 1  
SUMMARY: Whole lot of shaking going on

"Is this what passes for hotel rooms these days?" Jed asked loudly and  
playfully as he stood in the main hall of the presidential suite of the best  
hotel in Richmond, Virginia. It was the day before the trial and they'd  
finally managed to arrive in a town that was only two hours away by car.  
"Shut up." The female members of his family chorused before moving  
towards their respective rooms. Jed sighed and looked around for a friendly  
face. He found only the cold stare of his secret service agents.  
"Maybe I'll just shut up." He murmured. The agent nodded. "Thank you." He  
retorted and moved to find a couch to relax on. This was going to be a long  
trip. Maybe he should have stayed in Washington. It was easier to deal with  
questions like "who shall we bomb today?" or "keeping in mind that your  
answer shall determine the economic status of the average American for the  
next ten years, what shall we do about the so-and-so financial disaster in  
the Northwest?"  
Those were questions he'd rather be answering than sitting on a couch  
while his wife tried to talk to his daughter and his granddaughter tried to  
lock the world out except for when it came to the dry, cynical, smartass of a  
communications director. Thank God Annie was staying with Zoey. He didn't  
want to have to deal with *four* people driving him insane. The secret  
service agent wasn't helping. They were all ganging up on him.  
With a sigh, Jed got to his feet and moved to go talk to Rade. It hadn't  
worked out so well the last time but he figured he could give it another try.  
He couldn't talk to Liz. He didn't know what to say. He didn't know what to  
say to her sixteen years ago. He'd come to the hospital, listened to the  
doctor say 'raped' and then he just turned off, not knowing what he *could*  
say to his daughter then. He was just a man, and he... he *couldn't* know  
what she was going through. As he neared the room that Rade had already  
staked out, he heard music blasting through the walls. Just like her to  
deafen her mind with music so that she wouldn't have to think about the  
realities she had yet to face.

i feel stupid - but i know it won't last for long  
i've been guessing - i coulda been guessin' wrong  
you don't know me now  
i kinda thought that you should somehow  
does that whole mad season got ya down

Jed leaned against the doorframe and watched his granddaughter silently.  
She was on the hotel bed, staring at the white ceiling blankly as if she was  
aware of nothing in the world around her. Did anyone know her really, he  
wondered. Maybe Toby did. Maybe that's why she loved him so much. It was  
love, wasn't it? Rade had never had a father. She'd never known a grown adult  
to love her like a father was supposed to. And she'd never known that the  
only reason she existed was because a eighteen-year-old rich kid was ordered  
to rape the governor's daughter as part of initiation into some stupid  
fraternity.

i feel stupid but it's something that comes and goes  
i've been changin' - think it's funny how no one knows  
we don't talk about - the little things that we do without  
when that whole mad season comes around

Rade never talked anymore. She never talked to her grandfather, her  
mother, her grandmother, her sister... She talked to Toby. Jed had to admit  
that it annoyed him. He wanted to be the one that Rade loved and respected.  
He wanted to be the one she talked to. In the past few weeks, she hung out  
with Toby and Josh and the others, and she even helped out around the office.  
Leo said that everyone thought she was a little Jed.

so why ya gotta stand there  
looking like the answer now  
it seems to me - you'd come around  
i need you now  
do you think you can cope  
you figured me out - i'm lost and i'm hopeless  
bleeding and broken - though i've never spoken  
i come undone - in this mad season

In the past few weeks, she never said a word about all the things that  
had happened. She'd just allowed herself to be happy and to forget. Was that  
really the right thing for her to do? Was that really the answer to her  
problems? Jed sighed as he realized he never should have let her do that. The  
sigh brought her eyes on him and their gazes connected for a brief moment.

i feel stupid - but i think i been catchin' on  
i feel ugly - but i know i still turn you on  
you seem colder now, torn apart, angry, turned around  
will that whole mad season knock you down

Rade sat up and leaned against the wall next to the bed, her knees drawn  
up to her chest. Jed moved into the room and looked at her portable stereo.  
Words of truth from the mouth of a hard rocker. Who'd have thought? Rade was  
colder, torn apart, angry and turned around, and many other things. So was  
her mother. Maybe it was time Rade and her mother talked about the past in  
order to get ready for the future. As soon as the trial was over, they'd go  
home.  
And then what would the answer be?

so are you gonna stand there  
are you gonna help me out  
you need to be together now - i need you now  


He needed her too. He saw the tears in her eyes as she watched him stand  
there listening to the music. He moved forward to sit on her bed and pulled  
her into a hug. Rade clung to him tightly as she cried into his sweater. He  
held her close and stroked her hair, glad that he could be there for her.

now i'm cryin' - isn't that what you want  
i'm tryin' to live my life on my own  
but i won't  
at times - i do believe i am strong  
so someone tell me why, why, why  
do i feel stupid  
and i came undone

The song began to repeat its chorus but Rade sat up and angrily shut the  
thing off. She got to her feet and began to pace, trying to control the sobs  
that racked her body. Jed got to his feet and pulled her into a tight hug,  
not willing to let her go again.  
"It's okay to cry." He whispered softly. "It's okay to let go." She  
nodded and hugged him closer. He held her close to his body and let out a  
sigh. She did trust him. She just never knew what to say. He held her close  
as he took her back to the bed. They lay down together, her still crying into  
his chest as he held her close. Within ten minutes, she'd fallen asleep,  
still clutching her grandfather near. Five minutes later, Jed snored along  
with her.

TBC...

~D.C.  
Batman


	11. Jury of Your Peers 11

RATING: PG  
DISCLAIMER: Please see part 1  
NOTES: Please see part 1  
SUMMARY: Whole lot of shaking going on

The courthouse seemed abuzz with gossip. People whispered to each other  
and murmured. The President of the United States was coming. Here. To the  
courthouse. Was he going to testify, someone asked. No, his daughter and  
granddaughter. Is the press going to come? Does my hair look all right? You  
think we'll get a chance to talk to him? Yes, the courthouse was abuzz.  
Eric Knox sulked in his waiting room. He straightened his tie and his  
suit and looked at the mirror that was more than certainly one-sided. He  
didn't appreciate being treated like a criminal. True, he was facing criminal  
charges, but he was innocent until proven guilty. He knew his rights.  
Down the hall, people watched in amazement as at least ten men and women  
in dark suits started checking out the building. The secret service covered  
every inch of the building, set up a command center of sorts in the  
survailance room, worked on barricades from the street to the door. They  
talked into mikes on the wrists and listened to pieces in their ears. People  
all over the courthouse were chatting about the dark, tough secret service  
agents and wondering why anyone would be stupid enough to sign up for a job  
that required taking a bullet for some stranger. It caused quite a few  
arguments and it took one look from a passing SSA to quiet the debate. It was  
decided to never be spoken of again.  
Then at twelve thirty in the noontime, thirty minutes before Eric Knox's  
trial was slated to begin, President Josiah Bartlet arrived in a limo with  
his wife, daughter and granddaughter. They followed the secret service into  
the building to a small room that was across the hall from the courtroom  
where Eric Knox was going to be tried. There was a silence in the room as the  
door closed.  
"Anybody hungry? I hear they have doughnuts and bagels." Jed said softly,  
trying to break the eerie silence.  
"They say you have a right to a jury of your peers." Rade said suddenly.  
"How do they know what his peers are? I mean, I'm the one he hit. Shouldn't  
the jury be of my peers?" She said with a weak smile. Everyone looked at her  
uncertainly. "I want to know that this is going to be okay." She finally  
admitted. "I made it into the state, into the courthouse. Before I go into  
that courtroom and testify against a man who we all know is not my father,  
yet you people want to pretend he is," she paused to read their shocked  
expressions. "I want to know that this is going to turn out all right. No  
matter what happens." The silence was back as Jed and Abbey exchanged looks.  
Rade looked at her mother and found no surprise in the woman's face. Just  
solemnity.  
"Everything's going to be all right." Liz said suddenly with a strength  
and conviction Jed had never heard before. "I promise you that, Rade. No  
matter what." She added softly. Rade nodded.  
"Good. Then maybe I can get through this without screaming." She said  
softly. She wanted Toby to be there. She wanted to hear *him* tell her that  
it would all be all right. Why did she have to force him on to that stupid  
horse? Then she saw her mother talking to her grandparents softly.  
"We're going to go get some sodas." Jed exclaimed. "You want something?"  
"Dr. Pepper." Rade said with a shrug. Jed nodded and pulled his wife out  
of the room. "What do you want to say to me, mom? It really wasn't that hard  
to figure out." She said softly.  
"How long have you known?" Liz asked as she sat across the table from her  
daughter.  
"Since I was about seven." Rade answered honestly. "The day of my seventh  
birthday, he didn't look at me the entire day. Instead he spent the day  
talking to Annie and giving her stuff. I realized the most logical reason he  
didn't treat me the same way was because I wasn't his daughter and he didn't  
see any reason to treat me specially."  
"There are a lot of things you don't understand. But let me just say,  
when I found out I was pregnant, I knew that I had to have this child. I knew  
it would be special." Liz started.  
"And also you were raised in a family that discouraged abortions." Rade  
interrupted. "I'm not mad at you, mom. I'm really not. I know that you tried  
to make like it was a normal family and all. I'm not mad."  
"Okay." Liz said.  
"I just have one question." Rade said.  
"I bet I know what it is."  
"I bet you do too."  
"Okay. Ask it."  
"Who is my father?"

TBC... .

~D.C.  
Batman


	12. Jury of Your Peers 12

RATING: PG  
DISCLAIMER: Please see part 1  
NOTES: Please see part 1, with most legal stuff, it's hard to be accurate as  
things change from state to state. I consulted my mom on a lot of the  
questions I had about the legalities, and I took a lot of the stuff that I've  
seen in courtroom movies (which are usually very unrealistic, ::grins::) and  
just jumbled it all together.  
SUMMARY: Whole lot of shaking going on

"All rise in honor of Judge Wallace Hastings." A short fat man called as  
he got to his feet. Everyone in the courtroom stood and watched as a tall  
thin man emerged from the door behind the bench wearing the long, black robe  
of a respectable judge. The man had a crooked nose with glasses perched on  
them and a long face that seemed almost endearing. He carried his files to  
his large chair and sat down. He looked around the room and rested his eyes  
on the dark-haired teenager who stood in the last row back with cold eyes.  
She looked white as a sheet and her eyes looked wet as if she'd been crying.  
Next to her sat a woman who looked remarkably like the young girl, but she  
looked more like the two people sitting still further down the row, the two  
very recognizable people.  
"Be seated." He said suddenly, his deep voice echoing across the silent  
court room. "I see we have some famous guests in our room today. Let's try  
not to let it distract us, shall we?" He announced. "Read the case for the  
reporter please." He called.  
"Thursday, August 23rd. The federal district court of Richmand, Virginia.  
People versus Eric Knox. Judge Wallace Hastings presiding." A young woman  
read off a piece of paper to the reporter who typed away.  
"Okay, let's get straight to it. Ms. Benedict, call your witness."  
Hastings ordered. A middle-aged woman stood up and straightened her suit as  
she called out loudly. Rade recognized the woman as the person who'd talked  
to them on the phone last night.  
"Prosecution calls Elizabeth Bartlet Knox to the stand." Benedict  
exclaimed. Liz squeezed Rade's hand and then got to her feet. She slowly  
moved out into the aisle and moved to the witness stand, avoiding Eric's dark  
glare the whole time. She could feel his eyes on her. The short fat man step  
forward and held out the bible.  
"Place your right hand on this." He exclaimed. She obeyed. "Do you swear  
to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth so help you  
God?" The man asked. Liz didn't hesitate.  
"I do." She said solidly. Eric shifted in his chair as the fat man  
returned to his seat. Liz kept her eyes on the prosecutor.  
"State your name for the record, please." Benedict said with a smile and  
a soothing voice.  
"Elizabeth Bartlet." Liz exclaimed. There was a murmur. Benedict  
hesitated and then nodded. Rade began to tune out the questioning as she  
looked over at the jury to see what kind of people would qualify as Eric  
Knox's peers. They seemed like normal enough people. Not people who would hit  
their child. If they had children. They must have had children. Otherwise,  
how could they be Eric Knox's peers? But then again, this wasn't about a  
father and his child. This was about Rade and Eric Knox. With a sigh, Rade  
looked back at the witness stand.  
"And then what happened?" Benedict was asking.  
"Then he..." Liz paused. "Then he lifted the chair and swung it across  
her face." She said hoarsely. "He dropped the chair as she fell to the  
ground, bleeding. She got up and ran upstairs."  
"What did your husband do then?" Benedict asked.  
"He mumbled a few curses and left the house. He got in his car and drove  
away." Liz recalled.  
"Thank you. No further questions." Benedict exclaimed and took a seat.  
Then Eric's lawyer stood up. He was a stocky gentleman, and he struck Rade as  
someone who smoked too many cigars.  
"Ms. Bartlet," The man said hesitantly, as if the name were dirty and he  
had to give his tongue a second to recover. "After your husband left the  
house, what did you do?" Liz paused.  
"I went upstairs and went to bed." She admitted. There were many murmurs  
in the room.  
"You didn't check on your daughter?"  
"No, I didn't. I felt that she wouldn't want to see me."  
"When you found out she'd gone, what did you do?"  
"I assumed that she'd gone to her friend's house, as she'd done many  
times before and waited for her to come home."  
"Three days later, when you go the call that she was in Washington DC,  
what did you do?"  
"I asked that she be sent home." Liz said unevenly.  
"Did you ask about her wellbeing?"  
"Yes, of course."  
"When you were told that your daughter had explained the events to your  
family up north, what was your reaction?"  
"I was surprised." Liz started.  
"Did you deny the event?" The man asked. Liz paused.  
"Yes." She said finally.  
"You denied that your husband had hit your child with a chair?" The man  
asked.  
"Yes." Liz said softly.  
"In fact you made up a completely different story, didn't you?"  
"Yes."  
"So you tell me, Mrs. Bartlet, which of those stories is true?"  
"He did hit her." Liz said sharply.  
"Are you sure? Maybe she crashed her bike, just like you had originally  
said."  
"But--"  
"Objection, your honor. Counsel is making a statement, not a question."  
Benedict spoke up.  
"Sustained." Hastings called.  
"No further questions, your honor." Eric's lawyer barked before sitting  
down.  
"You may step down." Hastings said in a kind voice to Liz. She nodded  
weakly and moved off the stand for the back row.  
"Your honor, we call Mary Bartlet Knox to the stand." Benedict exclaimed  
shakily. As Liz sat down, Rade got up. Her family watched as she moved slowly  
down the aisle to the witness stand. The short fat man came forward again and  
offered the book.  
"Place your left hand on this book and raise your right hand." He said.  
She did so. "Do you swear to tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but  
the truth, so help you God?" He asked.  
"I--" Rade started but was interrupted by the sound of a door opening.  
She gazed across the room and meet the eyes of Toby Ziegler as he closed the  
door behind him. She smiled and then regained herself. "I do."

TBC... .

~D.C.  
Batman


	13. Jury of Your Peers 13

RATING: PG  
DISCLAIMER: Please see part 1  
NOTES: Please see part 1, also see notes on part 12 for my confession of  
legal researching and more than likely ignorance  
SUMMARY: Whole lot of shaking going on

Toby nodded to Rade and then found a place standing behind Jed and Abbey  
Bartlet. He nodded to them too and ignored the President when he hissed the  
words 'you're late,' choosing instead to focus on Rade.  
"I do." She announced. The man nodded.  
"Take a seat." He said before waddling back to his desk. Rade did so and  
glanced at Toby before looking at the prosecutor.  
"State your name for the record, please." Benedict asked.  
"Rade Bartlet." Rade said with a smirk. "Otherwise known as Mary Radell  
Bartlet." She added.  
"Okay, Rade. Could you tell me in your own words what happened on the  
night of August 3rd?" Benedict asked.  
"Well, I got home around eleven because I was hanging out with some  
people I knew. We'd just gone to a funeral together and we went for snacks  
afterwards. I got home and found..." Rade paused. Could she say 'my  
father'? "I found my parents waiting up for me. My father yelled at me, said  
that I should have called, asked me why I was 'too good to call' or something  
like that. I tried to tell him that I'd told him earlier in the day that I  
would be out late, but he wasn't really listening. He continued to yell and  
finally stopped to breathe while he rested his hands on this chair that we'd  
gotten a few weeks ago at K-Mart.  
"Anyway, there was silence in the room and I said 'so nice of you to yell  
at me after my friend has just died' and that got him kind of upset. He  
yelled at me about disrespect, how I would never understand how much he did  
for me because I never bothered to try. I said that if this was his idea of  
trying, I wasn't looking forward to seeing him half-ass it. Next thing I  
knew, I was on the floor with blood coming out of my face and bits of chair  
on the ground around me. I looked at him to see him still holding the back of  
the chair, and I got out of there as fast as possible. Got to my feet and ran  
for my room." Rade finished softly. It hurt just remembering, but for some  
reason, it didn't hurt as much now. She could feel the tears threatening to  
burn through her eyes, but she didn't let them fall. Instead she looked  
across the faces and saw the pain that they seemed to want to share with her.  
And she looked at Toby and saw how angry he looked.  
"Where exactly were you hit?" Benedict asked cautiously. Rade ran a  
finger along the healing gash on her face.  
"Right across the face." She said softly.  
"Had your father ever hit you before?"  
"Couple of smacks. Slap across the face. It never struck me as any big  
deal. I thought all fathers did it." Liz admitted. "He did a lot more yelling  
than he did hitting." She added.  
"Okay. No further questions." Benedict exclaimed and sat down. The stocky  
opposition got to his feet and eyed Rade carefully. She didn't like him, and  
she hated the way he was eyeing her.  
"Miss Knox," The man started. Rade growled softly. He paused while people  
chuckled. "Sorry, Miss Bartlet. What were you planning to do when you left  
the house that evening?"  
"Actually, I was planning to go to Canada." Rade said with a smirk. "I  
got somewhat sidetracked in D.C. though."  
"When did you get that gash checked out by a physcian?" The man asked.  
"August 5th, after Leo McGarry dragged me to one."  
"You didn't to go?"  
"I hate doctors. They annoy me."  
"What do you think your father meant when he said you would never  
understand how much he did for you?"  
"Probably referring to the fact that he took me as his own." Rade  
answered evenly. Murmurs filled the room. Eric Knox's eyes went wide. That  
wasn't the answer she was supposed to give.  
"Which means what?" The lawyer recovered.  
"Which means he's not my father." Rade retorted. "So you can stop  
referring to him as such, by the way."  
"This man has raised you as his own, correct?"  
"No."  
"What do you mean?" The man asked, becoming exasperated.  
"I mean he didn't. He brought me up as a burden. He was constantly  
reminded that I was not his child simply because I was there."  
"We don't need your conjecture, Miss-"  
"I'm not conjecturing. I'm answering your question." Rade interrupted. "A  
father is loving. A father is kind. He cares when his child is in pain. He  
doesn't inflict pain. He doesn't stare bitterly; he doesn't call names; he  
doesn't play the silent game on a daily basis. I've had some good moments  
with that man there." Rade said, pointing to Eric. "I've laughed with him,  
played, even danced and other crazy stuff. But that was about 15% of the  
time, if I was lucky. The rest of the time, it was silence and anger. He did  
not raise me as his own. If anything, he raised me as if I were a neighbor's  
child. Those times when we had fun, I believe those were times when he forgot  
who I was. I liked those times, but I didn't like them enough to stand here  
and let anyone believe that the other times didn't exist."  
"No further questions." The lawyer said softly. There were more murmurs.  
Hastings looked at Rade and nodded with a kind smile.  
"You may step down." He assured her. She nodded and quickly got out of  
the witness stand. She moved straight back until she managed to find her seat  
again. She looked back at Toby who nodded.  
"You're late." She said with a grin. Toby rolled his eyes and smiled.  
"I had to deal with some wild horses." He whispered and winked. Rade  
smiled even wider and nodded. Then she looked at her family and she realized  
that she had done it. It was over.  
"Think the wild horses can take us home now?" She asked.  
"Let's go." Jed replied. As Judge Hastings watched, the First family got  
to their feet and headed for the door. As he was about to leave, Jed stopped  
and made eye contact with the judge. The President smiled weakly and nodded  
before leaving the room. Hastings nodded to no one in particular and then  
returned his attention to the courtroom which was buzzing with gossip.  
"Order in this courtroom." He snapped and banged the gavel. Out in the  
hallway, Rade walked alongside Toby making jokes about watching him fall off  
the horse while behind her, her family walked slowly with smiles on their  
faces. Jed looked at his daughter and then did the only thing he could think  
to do. He hugged her tightly and tried to breathe. She hugged him back,  
crying in both sorrow and joy as she realized the past could finally leave  
her be.

TBC...

~D.C.  
Batman


	14. Jury of Your Peers 14

RATING: PG  
DISCLAIMER: Please see part 1  
NOTES: Please see part 1  
SUMMARY: Whole lot of shaking going on

"And did you know that the largest body of water in--" Jed started on a  
tangent.  
"Okay, okay, okay, shut up already! I'm done!" Rade whined as she emerged  
into view. Jed stopped his trivia reciting and looked at her. She was wearing  
dark, dark, dark blue jeans and a white t-shirt along with a dark green  
overshirt. He could see it was the same one she'd worn to the college talk  
but he also knew that it had since been cleaned. What was it with this style  
of hers that she always had an overshirt on? She seemed to have an unending  
supply of overshirts. A whole rainbow, just of overshirts.  
"You look great. We're going to be late again, you know that right?" He  
teased.  
"Only because of you, Wink Martindale." Rade retorted playfully.  
"You hang around Toby too much." Jed muttered.  
"Yeah, I heard grandmom say you were jealous of him." Rade said with a  
grin.  
"I am not jealous!" Jed protested.  
"Sure. Let's go before we're even more late." She retorted. "Did you ever  
stop to think that if you just sent one of your lackeys to get me, I might  
move a little faster. Why are you always the one to come and get me?" She  
asked as they moved into the hallway and headed for the stairs.  
"Well, a) because I love you so much, I just wanna run and getcha;" Jed  
teased. "b) I love to think up excuses with you; c) I love to torture you  
with trivia and d) because it always just seems to work out that way. It's a  
mystery." He finished with a grin. Rade laughed and nodded.  
Jed laughed too. It felt good to see her laugh again. A week had gone by  
and she was laughing. It felt good. She was talking to someone too. She and  
Toby talked all the time but there was also a guy named Stanley who Rade said  
she talked to every once in a while. Jed had asked her how she met Stanley  
but she wouldn't say. She said she had to keep at least a *few* secrets from  
him at all times. She said she liked Stanley and it was a good arrangement.  
Jed had the man checked out  
thoroughly and decided to live with it.  
The courts moved at an interesting pace. They had stayed in Virginia for  
two more days as the Juvenile courts started dealing with the process of  
removing Rade and Annie from Eric Knox's testimony after he was found guilty  
of mayheim and intentional harm of a child. Judge Hastings had waited two  
hours before reconvening to sentence Eric Knox to four years in the Virginia  
state prison. When Rade heard, she said nothing. Instead she looked at her  
mother and simply nodded before moving on to another subject. Now she walked  
with her grandfather in the hallways of the White House, the place that had  
become home.  
"What are we doing anyway?" Rade asked.  
"I don't even know. I've stopped asking." Jed exclaimed as he walked down  
the hall with her. They turned down the stairs.  
"That's really not a good thing to do." Rade teased.  
"Yeah, next thing you know I'll be addressing the organization of the  
united brotherhood of Snot-Nosed Airheads." He retorted. Rade looked at him  
with a funny face and paused.  
"Where'd you get that from?" She asked.  
"What?"  
"Snot-Nosed Airheads."  
"I dunno. I just pulled it out of nowhere." He paused. "Don't tell me  
there really is an organization of --"  
"No, there isn't. But Toby said something like that a while ago." She  
murmured. "Weird." She added and then brightened. "Oh! That's what we're  
doing!" She said with a grin. "Come on!"  
"What? What are we doing?" Jed asked as he followed her down to the Oval  
office. There he found Leo, Josh and Toby waiting for him. "Leo, what are we  
doing that I don't know about and she does?"  
"Rade didn't tell you, sir?" Toby asked with a mischievous grin.  
"No." Jed replied warily.  
"Granddad, come on! We're going horseback riding!" Rade called as she  
headed for the motorpool entrance. Jed groaned and looked at Leo who was  
grinning like an idiot.  
"Wonderful event. Looks great for the press, sir." Leo said happily.  
"Shut up." Jed muttered.  
"Come on, sir. Lighten up. If Toby can do it, you can do it." Josh said  
playfully.  
"Oh, Josh, don't you know? You're going too." Toby said with a smile.  
"I am?" Josh whimpered.  
"Come on, Josh." Jed said with a grin as he put an arm around the younger  
man's shoulder. "Let's go ride some horses."  
"I really don't want to, sir." Josh whined.  
"Neither do I." Jed retorted.  
"Toby, you've got the video camera, right?" Leo called.  
"Right here, Leo." Toby said before smiling deviously at Jed and Josh.  
"All charged up and ready to go."  
"Give me that." Jed ordered.  
"With all due respect, no, sir." Toby retorted and followed Rade out to  
the car.  
"This is gonna be fun." Jed muttered.  
"I think that's drastically optimistic, sir." Josh exclaimed.  
"Oh, you two, relax. Enjoy your fun while it lasts." Leo said.  
"Get out of here. Someone throw this man out of the building!" Jed  
called.  
"You've tried that before." Leo pointed out. "By the way, I think we  
might get CJ to do the Jackal after the screening."  
"That's great... What screening?" Josh asked.  
"Of you two on horses." Leo replied evenly.  
"Oh, crud." Josh whined.  
"I'm gonna bash that camera." Jed growled.  
"After what you did to my bike, no, sir." Leo said sharply. Jed winced.  
"Your camera?"  
"Yes, sir."  
"Goddamn it, let's get this over with." Jed muttered as he dragged Josh  
into the limo. As the door closed, Jed found himself being handed some carrot  
sticks. "Oh, good. I can feed the horses carrots."  
"No, those are for you. Mrs. Landingham said I had to watch you eat em  
all." Rade replied with a grin. Jed groaned.  
"This is going to be a long day." He muttered.

THE END

~D.C.  
Batman


End file.
